BEIJING (AP) — An influential Hong Kong newspaper says China's top leadership has agreed to start a corruption investigation into Zhou Yongkang, a former security czar and one of the country's most powerful politicians of the past decade.

The South China Morning Post reported Friday that current and retired top leaders endorsed the decision in early August to investigate Zhou, who oversaw China's judicial system and served on the Politburo Standing Committee, the apex of political power. No Politburo Standing Committee — incumbent or retired — has been investigated for economic crimes since the 1980s.

SCMP quotes sources "familiar with the leadership thinking" and says the investigation will focus on oilfield and property deals that have benefited Zhou and his family.